Chinese Take-away Egg Fu Yung

Egg Fu Yung, is a common take-away dish from Chinese restaurants. Also,  referred to as Egg Foo Young, Egg Fooyong, or Egg Furong. Literally 'lotus egg', this dish is prepared with beaten eggs and diced ham. It may be made with various vegetables such as bean sprouts, pea sprouts, bamboo shoots, sliced cabbage, spring onions, mushrooms and water chestnuts.

It is a traditional Chinese dish which is basically an omelet dish. It can be served as either a folded pancake style dish where the non-egg ingredients are folded into the middle of the egg. Or as a flat pancake style omelet where the non-egg ingredients are incorporated right into the egg. I however, learned to make it from a nice woman in Hangzhou, who actually scrambled it all together. I actually prefer this method, but if desired you can make this a flat omelet.

Regardless, of your desired serving style, Egg Fu Yung is a great way to use leftover ham after a holiday or special occasion. You can also easily make it with a ham steak. If ham isn't your favorite meat you can easily substitute chicken, pork, sausage, or shrimp! It is sort of a leftover user in the Chinese recipe world. I love making Egg Fu Yung for easy quick dinners and homemade Take-away!

Full time: 20-30 minutes (depending on how much you need to dice and prep)
Serves: 2-4 people

You will need:

For brown sauce:

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dry sherry (or rice wine)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt* taste sauce for soy sauce saltiness before adding

For Egg Part:

6 eggs
2 cups diced ham, or protein of your choice or vegetarian friendly extra vegetables
1 cup pea or bean sprouts
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter (or additional oil)
3 tsp dry sherry (or rice wine)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Let us start with the sauce first:

In a small sauce pan combine stock, soy sauce, sherry, oil, and black pepper.

Bring this to a low boil over medium-high heat.

While this comes to a boil, dissolve the cornstarch in the water.

Whisk this into the boiling sauce and cook until it returns to a boil.

Lower heat as low as you stove top will go and let it sit there to keep warm while making the egg part.

Okay now for the egg part.

Get a wok or saute pan heated over medium high heat.

Add in 1 1/2 tbsp oil, onion, and ham pieces. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until ham is warmed through.

Add in butter and mushrooms. Cook 5-8 minutes or until mushrooms have cooked to a nice light brown and are tender.

Add in sprouts and cabbage, along with remaining oil.

Cook 2-3 minutes or until they have wilted from the heat. You are now ready to add egg.

If you plan to scramble this, add egg right to the center of the pan.

Keep stiring the egg around the pan to full cook and intergrate with the other ingredients.

Turn out onto a serving dish and turn off heat from the sauce. Place sauce in a serving conatiner and enjoy!

If you plan to sevrve this as an omlete style, add egg acroos the top of the pan. Allow it to sink into the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip over and cook second side for 2-3 minutes.

Turn out onto a serving dish and turn off heat from the sauce. Place sauce in a serving conatiner and enjoy!